


Choosing To Stay

by AsagiStilinski



Series: PuzzleJune 2019 [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Festivals, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Obon, Prayer, Resurrection, Yami Yuugi | Atem has his own body, puzzlejune2019, puzzleprayer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-11 11:50:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19109080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsagiStilinski/pseuds/AsagiStilinski
Summary: Joey thinks that Yugi should make a grave for Atem, to help him let goKaiba thinks that Yugi should avoid letting go all together and just bring Atem back to lifeBut Yugi..... Yugi wants to know what Atem wants, first and foremostHe prays for an answer





	Choosing To Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 of PuzzleJune- "Prayer" <3

"Maybe ya' need a grave,"

Glancing over his shoulder, Yugi's eyebrows quirked up silently at his freind, watching Joey curiously as the taller man seemed to think over that logic

"Ya' know... for Atem? Maybe it'll help ya' heal, if ya've got a grave ya' can go to... or maybe an alter? Light some incense an' say a prayer, light a lantern...."

"I... don't know about that," Yugi said softly as his eyes flicked breifly to the lantern that his freind was carrying

According to Joey, he hadn't been especially close to his cousin, who had passed on two months prior, but he still wanted to participate in the lantern lighting during Obon Festival

It was a little strange to Yugi, he had never known his freind to be religious or spiritual, and whenever they talked about it, the blonde had quickly brushed off any ideas of his faith with a basic "I dunno" or "I ain't sure yet"

This was the first time Yugi had seen him participate in a religious festival or activity, but he supposed that death- even if not closely associated with someone- had the tendency to bring things like this to the surface

He wondered in the back of his mind if the fact that Atem had _also_ passed on earlier this year had anything to do with his freind's new-found spiritualism

"Havin' a way to greive instead o' just keepin' it in might help, ya' know?"

Yugi knew, he knew that Joey was trying to help, but he just.... wasn't sure if he really believed that something like that would make him feel any better

At the end of the day, Atem was still gone, would still _be_ gone, if Kaiba couldn't bring him back, then what chance did Yugi have?

He shouldn't even be thinking like that though, he shouldn't be trying to get Atem to come back, he deserved to move on and rest in peace just like everyone did- and Atem, perhaps, moreso than anyone else

He had lived such a hard, long life, been trapped in darkness for so long... why would anyone who loved him try to condemn him by trying to take away his peace and bring him back to the land of the living?

"Yugi!!! Joey!!!"

As if on cue from the gods themselves, when Yugi turned around, he was greeted by a rather excitable Mokuba running towards him and waving

The irritated looking man behind him was obviously Kaiba, though it was almost hard to recognize him without the uh... _fashion_

Both of the Kaiba brothers were wearing basic summer yukata and nothing else, gone were the business suits and- in Seto's case- flashy accessories, now they looked as plain and simple as everyone else at the festival

Hell, Mokuba's hair was tied up and Kaiba was even carrying a papper fan

... Was Yugi living in an alternate dimension?

Joey seemed rather nonplussed about it though

"Hey Mokuba, dragon-fetishist,"

"Wow, I'm surprised you even know the word 'fetishist', late night Google searches helping your vocabulary I see," Kaiba said casually as he stepped behind his brother

"Pft, is that your only comeback? You're runnin' low on insults Kaiba,"

"Says the man who thinks calling me a 'dragon-fetishist' is an insult,"

"Guys, on Obon? Really? Can you stop flirting for two seconds?" Mokuba huffed in annoyance

Yugi was just glad that he had so that he, personally, didn't have to....

"So what're you two doin' here anyway? Don't really look like your scene," Joey commented, using his own papper fan to fan himself as well

This year was hotter than usual, and if even Joey needed to cool himself down, even in the evening...

Damn global warming...

"It isn't really, but we're honoring our parents, we couldn't do that when Gozaburo was alive but every year since he's been dead we've come to Obon, half to honor our mom and dad, half to spite him,"

"Oh yeah... spite worship, sounds... good," Joey mused slowly, though Mokuba didn't seem to notice or care if he did

"What about you two? We've never seen you here before," he younger Kaiba noted

"My cousin Ichi died a couple months back, I'm here for him,"

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that," Mokuba frowned sympathetically

"'S'alright, he was sick for a long time, atleast now he's in a better place, 'least... I assume he is, I mean, 'Tem sure seemed to be happy,"

"He'd be happier if he were here," Kaiba spat bitterly

"Aw fuck I didn't mean to stir this shit up again, let's not do this," Joey sighed in exhaustion

Kaiba looked like he was about to say something else, but before he could, Mokuba jumped in, evidently trying to prevent another fight from escalating

"Yugi! I take it you're here honoring Atem then?"

"O-Oh um... not... exactly, no, I'm just here so Joey wouldn't have to come alone, Tristan is away wih his family at the festival in Tokyo so.... anyway, um... that's all,"

"I've been tryin'a' convince 'im to make a grave or somethin' though, I bet it'd help, atleast light a lantern," Joey commented with a shrug

"W-Well I don't know.... Atem's religion is so different from Buddhism and I wouldn't want to accidentally do something that would... you know... disrespect that by honoring him in a Buddhist practice..."

"You know you could solve that problem if you just told him to come back,"

"Kaiba I swear t' GOD-"

"What makes you think I could?" Yugi finally sighed, exhasperated and too tired to keep arguing

Ever since his latest failed attempt at bringing Atem back to life, Kaiba had been not-so-subtlely trying to convince Yugi to board the crazy train with him and make his own attempts to convince Atem to return

Yugi had been resisting, for obvious reasons, but also due to his inability to believe that _his_ attempts at convincing Atem would go any differently than Kaiba's had

He didn't know why the CEO was so firm in his beleifs that Yugi would make a difference all of a sudden, but Yugi himself more than doubted it

"Really? Have you _met_ him?" Kaiba scoffed, rolling his eyes

Kaiba must have taken note of the confused innocence painted across Yugi's face, due to the way that he rolled his eyes and continued that sentiment unprompted

"Atem thinks the universe of you, Yugi, there is _nothing_ he wouldn't do fro you and that includes coming back to life, even someone as burned and dead on the inside as me knows better than to underestimate the simple, yet undeniable power of human love,"

"Oh my _GOD_ did you just quote Teen Wolf!?" Joey nearly screamed, earning a furious -and.. somewhat embarrassed...?- look from Kaiba

" _No_ ,"

"You did!! You totally did! Oh my god-"

Yugi really didn't have the patience or energy for this tonight

"Haven't you ever considered that he's really happy there?" Yugi finally interrupted, getting the conversation back on track- he hoped

"Haven't _you_ ever considered that he could be happier here with you?"

Without giving the chance for a response, Kaiba turned on his heel and walked away, with an apologetic looking Mokuba following right behind him

Joey huffed, made some comment about where Kaiba could shove his attitude, and squeezed Yugi's shoulder in an attempt to make him feel better

Not that it worked though

Nothing ever worked these days

 

~+~

 

Yugi had made an alter

It was small and .. kind of pittifull looking, with various Egyptian qualities scraped together and stitched into it, like a child's collage, but it was the best he could do

He didn't have a photo, so he had asked Duke- who was, surprisingly, quite a magnificent artist- to sketch Atem for him to put in the center

There was a black cat shaped candle and a bust of Anubis and various flavors of incense that he hoped would have Egyptian tones to it- Lotus blossom, "Divinity" (whatever that was), one somewhat offensively labeled package called "Egyptian musk" that he had truly debated on buying and Frankenscence for mourning

He was trying

He was trying to mourn, trying to let go, but it just wasn't working

"Atem," he breathed, blowing out the match as he inhaled the various scents from the alter and put his hands in front of him, head bowed and fingers locked in prayer

"Atem please..... I'm sorry to disturb you but.... give me a sign, if you really are happy where you are.... give me a sign and I .. I promise to never bother you again.... but if you're not... if you really would be happier here with me... then please, _please_... give me a sign for that too and I- ... I'll find a way to bring you back,"

He swallowed tightly, biting the tip of his tongue as hard as he could to prevent himself from bursting into tears like he wanted to

And oh, gods, how he wanted to....

But he couldn't

He was praying to Atem, if he wanted Atem to hear this prayer then he had to keep it together, he didn't want his partner to know how badly he was hurting, that wouldn't be fair, that would be manipulative of him, wouldn't it?

He choked down the blooming sobs and cries that threatened to pop up and took a few slow, deep breaths, curling his hands together and pressing his fingernails hard into his palms, taking a few more deep breaths before speaking again

"I miss you Atem, I want you back but.... but your happiness is the most important thing in the world and I- .. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you're happy, in whatever form you need that to be,"

When he had asked for a sign, Yugi had been anticipating something like... a dream or a vision, or maybe something more physical like seeing a butterfly or maybe the incense burning out, something unclear that he would have to decipher probably

He hadn't expected to feel a chill in the air, and turn around to find Atem standing behind him

"A-Atem....?"

"Hello, partner," the pharaoh breathed softly, his expression warm and loving as he stepped closer

"I .. like your alter, it's very nice,"

Yugi didn't waste any more time on greetings or compliments, he simply charged forward, slamming into his partner and hugging him as tightly as possible, his entire body trembled with emotion, with the intensity of love and happiness that he felt in that moment, the tears he had been holding back starting to pour down his cheeks

It was only then, as Atem wrapped his arms around Yugi in turn and returned the hug, that the smaller duelist realized something

Atem was _corporal_...

Pulling back, he stared up at his partner in awe and confusion, mouth opening slightly

"A-Atem... how are you- ... why are you...?"

"You asked for a sign, partner," he noted with a small smirk, his expression warm and loving

"I never.... _wanted_ to leave you Yugi, _ofcourse_ I would be happier here with you, but .. I feared my staying would only hold you back, that you would never be able to move on with your life if I were here holding you back.... slowing you down..."

"You could never hold me back or slow me down Mou Hitori," Yugi promised, staring up at Atem in confusion

"Atem, you have always pushed me _forward_ and guided me to move _faster_ , you've never held me back, you've only ever helped me to push myself further, towards what I want in life, do you ... really feel that you've done otherwise?"

"At times," Atem confessed

"I worried mostly that ... with me here, a ghost of your past, you would not be able to do all of the things you may want to do, traveling and seeing the world... gaining a partner of your own, a lover... that I would only hinder you,"

"Atem, you've never hindered anything," Yugi promised, leaning up on the tips of his toes and cupping his partner's face

"And if you really want me to have a partner and a lover... then you _have_ to stay, I could never love anyone as much as I love you Atem, no matter how much time we spend apart, I could never 'move on' from the best part of my life,"

He didn't give Atem a chance to respond after that, he only leaned up and gave him a kiss, slow and gently, shivering as his newly minted lover wrapped his arms around him again and hugged him closer

"Are you staying?" he breathed against his partner's lips, feeling Atem's expression curve into a smile

"For you, my beloved? I will stay for an eternity,"


End file.
